The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

First of all:

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!! ♥ ♥ ♥

I'm going to split this up into parts.
( non-spoilery general observations )

The following are some rather detailed spoilers!

( lots and lots of spoilery stuff )

I did get my hobbit-lass costume and my feet done in time to wear them, and the DH even wore his cloak and carried a staff! Our son went with us; no costume, though.

( pics behind the cut )

Today's horrible news

I can hardly believe it. I was very late learning about it. We slept most of the day, and watched the news late (we always DVR the news and watch it later)--and so today we found out much later than everyone else did.

I can't help but thinking of all those poor babies being slaughtered for no reason, all those parents and grandparents and brothers and sisters who've been planning Christmas and buying presents and anticipating the joy, and now it has all turned to ashes.

Why? Why do some people have to try to spread their own misery to as many other people as possible in such a violent and horrific way? I can't begin to understand. I suppose I ought to feel as sorry for the shooter as I do for his victims, but I just can't.

And guns? Especially assault weapons. Yes, it's true that someone determined to be violent and commit murder will find a way. But at least the havoc would be reduced if they did not have such an easy way to harm so many people at once. Perhaps their evil would be confined to a smaller number--not that even one murder is acceptable, but still...

I don't know. I guess I'll never know. All I can do is pray.